Game set and method of playing a game

ABSTRACT

A game set has a first set of balls, a second set of balls, a marker element, and a plurality of playing cards. Each card has a front face and a back face. The front faces of the cards are neutral or identical and the back faces of the respective cards are individualized and contain information relating to the game and/or relating to any of the balls or the marker or relating to the throwing of the balls or the marker.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and inventive combination game combining aspects of ball games with aspects of playing card games. The invention further relates to a game set comprising all elements necessary to perform the game and to a method of playing a combined game comprising balls and playing cards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ball games—in the sense of the present patent application—are games that include throwing of balls by users. The aim of the game is to throw a ball as near as possible to a marker element. While prior art games are well known in the art using stones or balls made of metal or of wood, the present invention only relates to such game sets and method of playing games that use soft or flexible balls to be thrown by the players.

The inventor and applicant of the present application has co-invented a couple of years ago a ball game using such soft or flexible balls that consist of a flexible housing made by textile material and being filled by granular elements. This ball game has successfully been commercialized and respective information can e.g. be retrieved from the website www.crossbocccia.com.

The balls of the prior art consist of a flexible housing that permits throwing of a ball and placing the ball as nearest as possible to a marker element. As the ball has a flexible housing it can amend its shape or external configuration and can adopt its configuration according to the circumstances and surfaces of the location where it is thrown to. For example, if a soft ball is thrown into a corner of a building due to the soft structure of the ball it will not reflect from the wall but will stay at the place where it hits to the building surfaces and will rest on this place or will be reflected only in part as the reflecting movement will be damped very strongly.

The particular technical properties of the balls and of the marker permit playing of this game in interior and exterior spaces. There is no need to use particular playing environments that would for example offer optimized floors as required for playing boule or boccie or beach boccie. This soft ball game can be played at any place, outdoor and indoor.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a new and inventive game set that permits playing of new variations of the known ball game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention the new game set is comprising a first set of balls, a second set of balls, a marker element, and a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a front face and a back face, wherein the front faces of the plurality of cards are identical and the back faces of the respective cards are individualized and contain information relating to the game, in particular to any of the balls or the marker or information relative to throwing of the balls or the marker.

Information relating to the game may include information relating to any of the balls or the plurality of balls, and/or information relating to the marker and/or information relating to at least one or more players and/or information relating as to how to throw the ball or as to how to throw the marker and/or information relating to any other playing card and/or information regarding the order of throwing the balls and/or information regarding the rules of the game and/or information relating to a particular playing situation of the game and/or information relating to a particular placement of the balls and/or of the marker.

Information in the sense of the present patent application can be instructions that have to be followed, for example by the player who has played the card or by any of the further players of the game. Information according to the present patent application can also comprise indications or effects that invalidate information or instructions of another playing card played by the same player or played by another player.

According to a first embodiment of the invention the instructions contained in the information have to be followed immediately. According to a second embodiment of the invention there are information or instructions that do not need to be followed immediately but can be set on hold and can be used later by the player who has taken and played this playing card.

The information can be information that contains an instruction to amend a position of a ball or a marker or can include an instruction as to how a ball or a marker shall be thrown. For example the information may include the instruction to obscure the view of the player when throwing the ball or the marker. An another example for information that can be contained on a playing card is the instruction that the ball or the marker has to be thrown backwardly, which means that a player has to look in the opposite direction, compared to the direction he has to throw the ball to.

Another instruction that may be contained in the information on the playing card might be that the ball has to be thrown through the spread legs of a player. The information can also include the instruction to amend the sequence or order in which the players have to throw their balls. The information can also contain an instruction that disables the effect or the instruction of another playing card.

According to the invention there is also provided a method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players provided, comprising the following steps:

-   -   a) providing a first player with a first set of balls, with a         marker, and with a first plurality of playing cards that contain         information relating to the game, in particular information         relating to balls or the marker,     -   b) providing a second player with a second set of balls, and         with a second plurality of playing cards that contain         information relating to the game, in particular information         relating to balls or the marker,     -   c) throwing the marker by the first player along a playing         surface,     -   d) throwing a ball of the first set by the first player to         maximally approach to the marker,     -   e) throwing a ball of the second set by the second player to         maximally approach to the marker,     -   f) repeating steps d) and e) in a given order until all balls         are thrown,     -   g) playing at least one playing card by the first or the second         player between any of the steps d) to     -   f) and following the instructions and/or information on the         playing card.

The given order according to a first embodiment is that all players successively throw their balls. If the game is only played by two players, the first and second player alternately throw their balls until all balls are thrown.

If the game is played by three players, the order of throwing the balls is: First player, second player, third player, first player, second player, third player, and so on, until all balls are thrown.

The given order can be amended by playing a playing card that contains a particular information or instruction to amend the given order.

According to a further aspect the invention provides a game set comprising a first set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, a second set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a front face and a back face, wherein the front faces of the plurality of cards are neutral or identical and the back faces of the respective cards are individualized and contain information relating to the game and/or relating to any of the elements or relating to the way of displacing any of the elements.

According to the invention the elements can be any of balls including soft or flexible balls and stiff or hard balls, or discs, or frisbees, or marbles or coins. The term element comprises any body that can be thrown by hand of a human person from a starting location to a particular destination or any body that can be rolled by a person like a bowling ball or can be slid on a floor as known from Bavarian curling or can be flipped as coins can be flipped.

According to the invention the first set of elements and the second set of elements contains identical elements and identical number of elements.

The game set according to claim 19 may comprise a separate marker element. However a marker can be set by marking a particular place or a particular destination on the ground, or at the destination environment, for example by crayon, or by determining any element given, for example a lamp or a lantern or any object, to be the marker.

The game can be played in an embodiment of the invention by displacing the elements by the players all from the same starting locations toward the marker to maximal approach to the marker. The playing cards contain instructions or indications or information regarding to the game, e.g. to the rules of the game or to amendment of the rules of the game, or regarding to the elements, and permit to let enter into the game strategic considerations of the players.

According to the invention there is also a method of playing a combined game provided, for displacing elements and a playing card game for at least two players, comprising the following steps:

-   -   h) providing a first player with a first set of elements that         can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and with a first         plurality of playing cards that contain information relating to         the game and/or relating to the elements,     -   i) providing a second player with a second set of elements that         can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and with a         second plurality of playing cards that contain information         relating to the game and/or relating to any of the elements,     -   j) setting a marker by displacing a marker element or by marking         a location as the marker,     -   k) displacing an element of the first set by the first player by         a throwing action or rolling action or sliding action or         flipping action or an action as a combination thereof by the         first player to maximally approach to the marker,     -   l) displacing an element of the second set by the second player         by a throwing action or rolling action or sliding action or         flipping action or an action as a combination thereof by the         first player to maximally approach to the marker,     -   m) repeating steps k) and l) in a given order until all elements         are displaced,     -   n) playing at least one playing card by the first or the second         player between any of the steps h) to     -   m) and following the instructions or the information contained         on the playing card.

According to the invention elements again can be provided as described above by any appropriate kind of bodies.

According to step j) a marker may be set by either displacing a marker or by determining any body given in the environment for playing the game to constitute a marker or by marking any particular position, e.g. on the ground floor, or on the playing surface, to be the marker.

According to step k) an element is displaced by the first player. Displacing an element can be any kind of movement to be performed by the element upon an action of the player. The term displacement includes that from a starting position the user can by hand move the element to a particular destination location to maximally approach to the marker. The action to be performed by the hand of the player (i.e. a human being) might be the action to throw the element or to roll the element on the playing surface or to let the element slide along the playing surface or to flip the element. Also the action performed by the user to displace the element can be a combination of any of the actions described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Further advantages of the invention will be explained according to the embodiments of the invention shown in the figures that exemplarily illustrate the invention. For the sake of clarity is shall be noted that the embodiments shown in the drawings shall not limit the scope of the claims to the embodiment shown in the drawings.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a soft ball, partly in cross section, as used as a ball for the first set of balls, and for the second set of balls and for a marker element, the cross section showing the granular filling,

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of the ball of FIG. 1 laying in a corner of a room of a building showing a floor region and a wall region of this room,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a first set of balls,

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a second set of balls,

FIG. 5 shows a marker element,

FIG. 6 shows the front face of a first playing card,

FIG. 7 shows a back face of the playing card of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the playing card of FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 shows a stack of playing cards,

FIG. 10 shows a back face of a second playing card,

FIG. 11 shows a front face of the second playing card,

FIG. 12 shows a playing surface and two players playing the game,

FIG. 13 shows a parcours of six different playing locations,

FIG. 14 shows a first exemplary playing situation of three balls and a marker,

FIG. 15 shows a first playing card illustrating a first action and an illustration of an exchange of position of the balls of FIG. 14,

FIG. 16 shows a second playing card illustrating a second instruction for amending the game situation of FIG. 14.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the embodiments shown in the drawings a game set according to the invention consists of at least a first group 17 of balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c (see FIG. 3), a second group 18 of balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c (see FIG. 4), and a marker 16 (see FIG. 5). According to the invention there can be more than two groups 17, 18 of balls. Preferably the number of groups of balls corresponds to the number of players that according to the invention is limited but preferably is between 2 and 6 players.

For the sake of clarity it shall herewith noted that like parts and/or like elements—also if referred to in the description of different embodiments—will be designated by same reference numerals, in part by a supplement of a small letter after the reference numeral.

According to the embodiments in the drawings each set of balls or each group 17, 18 of balls consists of three identical balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c and 15 a, 15 b, 15 c respectively. However for the sake of clarity it shall be noted that according to the invention the number of balls of a group of balls can be different and can be within the range of two to ten.

Each of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of a group 17 of balls is identically or nearly identically shaped. In particular each of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of one group 17 of balls has the same outer diameter D1, the same width, the same size and the same structure. Further each of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of one group 17 of balls has the same identification tag on the outside. According to FIG. 3 the identification tag of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of the group 17 of the balls is the letter A.

According to the invention the outer side of balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c can be colored and/or can bear a particular pattern. Further it is within the scope of the invention if the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of one group 17 of balls have the same identification tag 22 but have different colors or different pattern on the outside of the balls. It must however be assured that the players of the game can attribute different balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of a group 17 of balls to a particular group of balls 17.

The same applies for the balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the second group 18 of balls. According to the embodiment of FIG. 4 the balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the second group 18 of balls bear a different identification tag 23 that is exemplarily shown as a letter B. All balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the second group 18 of balls are identically and in particular contain the same identification tag 23.

It shall be noted that the term identification tag 22, 23 in the sense of this patent application can also comprise embodiments of the invention wherein the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of one group 17 of balls have the same color or the same pattern but do not bear any logos or letters or symbols. It must however be clear for the players which of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 15 a, 15 b, 15 c belongs to which group 17, 18 of balls by simple visual impression.

Further it shall be noted that a preferred embodiment of the invention employs identification tags or identification symbols that are provided by characters or symbols. For example the identification tag of the first set of balls can be a stylized head of a first character and the identification tag of the balls of the second set of balls can be a head of a different character or person.

On the playing cards 19—which will be explained later—information may be contained that refer to these particular information tags and in particular to the particular characters or symbols on the balls.

Further it shall be noted that the diameter D2 of the balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the second group 18 of balls is the same for all balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c and it also the same compared to the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of the first group 17 of balls.

The marker 16 shown in FIG. 5 has a different design and identification tag that is shown in FIG. 5 as letter C. Other embodiments of the invention use a color on the outside of the marker 16 as the identification tag of the marker. The color of the marker 16 can be different from the colors or designs of the balls of the first set 17 and the second set 18 of balls.

The marker 16 preferably has a diameter D3 that is smaller than the diameters D1 and D2 of balls 10 a and 15 a.

To explain the structure of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 15 a, 15 b, 15 c and the marker 16 reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2:

FIG. 1 shows a ball 10 as an embodiment of a ball 10 a partly in cross section. The ball comprises of an outer housing that is flexible. The housing 11 might be provided by textile material as ripstop or any other woven fabrics or tissue or appropriate film, foil or thin and flexible material. The casing or housing completely encloses a containment that is filled by granular elements 12, for example small balls made of polystyrene or any appropriate light weight material. The casing 11 is filled with granular elements 12 but a small space 25 is left free.

The ball 10 is called a soft ball or a flexible ball as it can amend its external configuration or shape. The ball has a generally or substantially ball-like shape but can amend its shape when placed at locations that have faces that limit the room for the ball.

For example FIG. 2 shows a situation where the ball 10 of FIG. 1 has been thrown into a corner provided partly by a floor 13 of a room of a building and partly by a wall 14 of the room. The ball 10 has been thrown directly into this corner and has been stopped there, amending its shape and adopting its configuration to the configuration of the inner faces of the floor 13 and the wall 14.

In contrast to hard balls made of metal or wood or plastic the soft balls according to the invention cannot be reflected by the wall but stay generally at the place where they hit on faces or are reflected only in a strongly damped manner.

This allows a very exact and precise throwing of the balls to a particular destination.

The balls and the marker shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are constituted of the same configuration shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6 to 11 show embodiments of playing cards that are generally designated with 19, in particular with 19 a and 19 b.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show a first playing card 19 a. FIGS. 10 to 11 show a second playing card 19 b.

Each of the playing cards has a length L in between 5 and 22 cm and has a width B that is between 3 and 12 cm.

The wall thickness shown in FIG. 8 and designated with W is between 0.01 mm and 3 mm.

Preferably the playing cards 19 a, 19 b, 19 c have dimensions that correspond or nearly correspond to the dimension of playing cards of the prior art used for card playing games.

The playing card 19 b of FIGS. 10 and 11 has the same extensions as playing card 19 a.

FIG. 9 shows a pile of playing cards 19 of same dimensions.

By a comparison of FIGS. 9 and 11 it becomes clear that the front faces 21 of different playing cards 19 a, 19 b are the same, i.e. they are neutral or identical. They can be have the same color and/or of the same pattern and/or bear the same symbol or no symbol by the do not contain any information relating to the game. The front faces 21 are not individualized but are all the same.

The back sides 20 of the respective playing cards 19 a, 19 b however are individualized and contain particular information. Different playing cards may contain different information.

The back sides of the playing cards contain information fields 24 a, 24 b that bear information that relate to the game and in particular can relate to a ball or the marker. The information can include an instruction on how to throw a further ball or marker or to amend the position of a ball or the marker or to amend the position of a player when throwing any of the balls or to not throw a ball or a marker. The information relating to the game can also or alternatively include an instruction to amend or shift a rule of the game. For example the information can contain an instruction that the given order of players to throw the balls shall be amended.

The information 24 a, 24 b can contain information that pertains to a different playing card. For example the playing card 19 a can contain information 24 a (designated in FIG. 6 as action 1) that might correspond to the instruction 24 b of a different card 19 b (designated in FIG. 10 as action 2). For example this information 24 a might contain the instruction that the information 24 b of the second playing card 19 b may be disregarded or set out of effect.

According to a first embodiment of the invention the game set comprises a number of playing cards, for example 30 playing cards. The number of playing cards can initially—before starting the game—be mixed up and can be distributed in randomized manner between the players. A plurality of playing cards—for example 3 or 5 playing cards per player—can be attributed to the players by distributing the number of playing cards or a part of the number of the playing cards to the individual players.

According to second, preferred embodiment of the invention the playing cards are collection cards or trading cards. The game set initially provided by sale consists of only a very few number of playing cards but can be supplemented by further playing cards that can be bought by the players during the time.

Each player might constitute from its own—unlimited—number of collection cards or playing cards a deck of playing cards, for example 30 playing cards. This deck of cards of each player might comprise for example 30 playing cards and can constitute the individual players' own supply of playing cards.

Initially, before playing, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention from the deck of playing cards the plurality of playing cards is attributed to the particular player who owns this deck. While the deck of playing cards can be constituted by the individual players from the players' own unlimited reservoir of collection cards in a conscious manner, i.e. by selecting the cards of the deck according to the individual players' own strategy, after the assembling of the deck the plurality of playing cards that is attributed to a player to be used during playing of the game will be taken from this deck in a randomized manner. The plurality of for example five playing cards will be taken by the player on his hand and each of the players will have in a preferred embodiment of the invention access to the backside information only of his plurality of playing cards during the game to enable this player to select a particular playing card from his plurality of playing cards for playing a playing card at an appropriate point of time.

When playing the game the players can at given points of time play playing cards by taking and selecting any of a playing card contained in the plurality of the playing cards. According to an embodiment of the invention each time, a playing card has been played, the respective player is allowed to take from his deck in a randomized manner a further playing card to add this playing card to his plurality of playing cards.

In an alternative preferred embodiment each player has the right to take from his deck of cards in a randomized manner a further card if it is his turn to throw a ball before throwing of the ball and has the right to play a card.

According to an embodiment of the invention a player is not forced to play a playing card when it is his turn but he is allowed—each time it is his turn—to take a further playing card from his deck to supplement his plurality of playing cards.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention each time a card has been played this playing card will be laid backside up onto a particular pile of playing cards.

For the sake of clarity is herewith noted that each player will—when playing the game—transport not only with himself its attributed plurality of playing cards but also his deck of playing cards.

FIG. 12 shows a typical situation that might arise when playing the game of the invention. A first player is designated with 26 and a second player is designated with 27. The playing surface is designated as 29. Shown on the playing surface are a marker 16, a first ball 10 a and a second ball 10 b, both of a first group 17 of balls, and a first ball 15 a of a second group 18 of balls. For the sake of clarity it shall be assumed that the balls 10 a, 10 b of the first group 17 of balls belong to the first player 26 and that the ball 15 a of the second group 18 of balls belongs to the player 27.

The aim of the game is to throw balls 10 a, 10 b, 15 a—as well the remaining balls 10 c, 15 b, 15 c—as closest as possible to the marker 16.

Before the start of the game initially each of the players has received a set or a group of balls, for example three balls per group.

When performing the game the first player 26 at first throws the marker 16. Then the first player 26 throws a ball of his group of balls.

The marker will be thrown in a distance of between 1 and 20 m for example. The players throw their balls to maximally approach to the marker 16. After the first players' 26 turn it is the turn of the second player 27 of the number of players to throw his first ball to come closer to the marker 16 than the first ball 10 a.

Depending on the number of players involved it is now either the turn of a third player to throw his first ball of its group of balls or it is again the turn of the first player 26 to throw his second ball of his group of balls.

FIG. 13 exemplarily shows a parcours or a path of movement for the game. The path is designated with 30.

For the sake of clarity it is herewith noted that according to an embodiment of the invention the parcour along which the game is played is not fixed but might vary depending on different circumstances, like the local situation or the environment or the topography and/or the outcome of the game and/or the interests and/or the mood of the players etc.

Further it shall be noted that the game according to the invention does not necessarily need to be played along a parcour but instead can be played in closed rooms or at limited places like within a corridor of a building.

For example the game can be played by alternating the direction for throwing the balls along a line or by reverting to the starting point of throwing the balls after the game has been terminated. All starting places for throwing the marker in an embodiment of the invention can be the same or can be different for different games or rounds of a game. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the starting points for throwing the balls do vary.

For the sake of clarity it is herewith noted that according to an embodiment of the invention the starting point for throwing the marker 16 remains for this round of the game the starting point for throwing all of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 15 a, 15 b, 15 c. However there can be playing cards 19 provided that may contain instructions to amend the starting place for throwing of a ball.

Position 1 of FIG. 13 is assumed to be the starting position where a first group of players starts throwing the marker and successively the balls. With position 2 the assumed position of the marker after having been thrown is designated.

After all balls are thrown a score is attributed to the particular players. The scores depend on the distance of the respective balls towards the marker.

For example according to one embodiment of the invention the player whose ball is the closest to the marker obtains three points, the second closest ball obtains two points and the third closest ball obtains one point. The number of points distributed to the respective balls however can differ in different embodiments of the invention.

If the scores are distributed a second game starts from the position 2. Position 2 in an embodiment of the invention can be the place where the marker has been placed before. From position 2 the marker is now thrown to position 3 and so on.

It shall be noted that the starting position 2 does not necessarily need to correspond to the place where the marker 16 has been thrown to in the first round of the game but instead starting position 2 of a next round of the game may be distant from the place where the marker previously has been thrown to.

In another embodiment of the invention the starting position 2 can be identical to or close to the starting position 1.

FIG. 13 illustrates that the path along which the game is played might be randomized and will depend on the local properties, on the weather, on the mood of the players, etc. Usually the player who has come closest to the marker in a first round has the right to throw the marker in the next game or the next round. Anyway the path 30 of movement is not pre-determined but will vary depending on the landscape situation and on the development of the game.

However the invention also comprises embodiments wherein the path 30 of movement of the game will be pre-determined.

The game is over when a particular number of scores has been reached by a first player, for example 9 points. Insofar to play the game there are not necessarily six positions to be performed—as shown in FIG. 13—but the number of positions will depend on distribution of the scores in each round.

FIG. 12 illustrates that the second player 27 has in his hands a pile 28 of playing cards 19. For the sake of clarity it is herewith noted that—though not shown in FIG. 12—each of the players 26, 27 will transport when playing the game his deck of cards and his plurality of cards.

With reference to FIGS. 14 to 16 it shall now be explained in which way the playing cards 19 are involved into the game:

According to the invention before starting to throw the balls each player has obtained a plurality of playing cards 19. The plurality of playing cards provided to each player can be pre-determined, for example can be five playing cards per player. The number of the plurality of playing cards attributed to each player can be taken from a deck of more playing cards. For this purpose each player might have its own deck of playing cards that can be constituted from a reservoir of collection cards or trading cards of each player.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention each of the players can constitute its own deck by selecting a pre-determined number of playing cards, for example 30 playing cards, from his unlimited reservoir of playing cards.

Each player has its own deck of playing cards that can be selected under strategic considerations by each player from his unlimited number of playing cards that are in each players' possession and property.

In other words each player can collect—for example by buying playing cards—a very large number of playing cards and can constitute from his own unlimited number of playing cards a deck of playing cards. The selection of the playing cards of the deck can be performed by each of the players separately under strategic considerations to chose an optimum effect from the individual players point of view.

The process of determining which playing cards will be taken from the reservoir of playing cards to constitute the plurality of playing cards can be either by choice of the particular player or can be randomized.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention each of the players constitutes its own deck or reservoir of playing cards and each player mixes up all playing cards of its deck and chooses the plurality of playing cards in a randomized manner from the deck. For example 5 playing cards are taken out of the players' deck in a randomized manner and constitute the plurality of playing cards that can be used by this player during the first round of the game.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention each of the players has—during playing of the game—access to the information on the backsides of all of his five chosen playing cards of his plurality of playing cards.

On the other hand each player has during playing of the game no access to the backside information of his further playing cards that are part of his deck of cards.

After the respective plurality of playing cards has been attributed to each player the game starts and at first the marker 16 is thrown and successively the further balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the groups 17 and 18 of balls are thrown.

According to the invention the playing cards 19 a, 19 b, can be played during the game to initiate particular actions according to the information contained on the respective cards 19 a, 19 b.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the playing cards 19 can be played by any of the players at the players' choice by a player each time before the player has to throw a ball.

FIG. 14 shows an exemplary playing situation where two balls 10 a and 10 b of a first group 17 of balls and a second ball 15 a of a second group 18 of balls have been thrown. FIG. 14 corresponds to the situation shown in FIG. 12.

It is assumed that the first player 26 has thrown two balls 10 a, 10 b and the second player 27 has only thrown one ball 15 a. FIG. 14 makes clear that the ball 10 a of the first group 17 of balls currently comes closest to the marker 16. It can be assumed that it would be now be second players' 27 turn to throw a further ball 15 b (shown in FIG. 14 in the hands of second player 27) to maximally approach to the marker 16.

However second player 27 might decide on its own initiative that before throwing his second ball 15 b he plays a card 19 a. To make this point clear, in a preferred embodiment each player has the right to play a playing card before throwing of the ball but does not necessarily have to play a playing card before throwing any of his balls.

To play a playing card the second player 27 has to select any of it's playing card from his plurality of cards and to turn it backside up or to show the backside to all other players in an other appropriate way so that all players 26, 27 can see the information contained on the backside.

To clarify: According to an embodiment of the invention each of the players 26, 27 has its own pile 28 or plurality of playing cards 19 to be transported during the complete game with himself. Each player 26, 27 does transport with himself not only the plurality 28 of cards from which he can select cards when playing cards but each player 26, 27 will during the game also transport—separately from the plurality of cards—his deck of cards from which further cards can be taken by the player in a randomized manner to supplement his plurality of cards.

To perform an optimized transport of the players' plurality of cards and of the players' deck of cards playing card transport boxes may be provided. These transport boxes are card holders that protect the cards—when inserted into the transport box—from knitting, folding, abrasion and wear. A transport box permits safe transport of the cards and the deck, e.g. in the back pocket of a trouser of a player or of a blazer or at any appropriate place at the players clothes.

The transport box may have a closure that can be opened or closed or is open on one or on two sides and permits easy access and removal as well as a insertion of the playing cards into the box. The transport box may be made of plastic.

In a preferred embodiment each player 26, 27 has access to all information contained on all back sides of the plurality of his playing cards 19. Insofar he can consciously select a respective playing card 19 containing a particular information or an advantageous instruction or effect at an appropriate point of time. This enables strategic thoughts or considerations to enter into the game and makes the game a combination of sportive, tactical and physical skills by throwing the balls together with strategic and logical skills by playing appropriate playing cards at an appropriate point of time. Further it shall be noted that the effect of mixing the cards of a deck and taking the plurality of cards in a randomized manner from the deck also gives room for a random moment in the game.

Just for the sake of clarity: The second player 27 does not has access to the backside information of the plurality of playing cards of the first player 26 during playing of the game.

In an embodiment of the invention each time a player has played a card he has the right to take from his deck of cards in a randomized manner a further card to replace the card used.

In a further, preferred embodiment of the invention each time it is a players' “turn” to throw a ball, before throwing of the ball this player has the right to take from his deck of cards in a randomized manner a further card to supplement the plurality of cards on his hand.

Reverting back to FIG. 14 it shall now be assumed that the second player 27 takes one playing card 19 a by selecting this card from his plurality of five cards.

On first card 19 a shown in FIG. 15 the instruction action 1 is remarked. Action 1 might contain the instruction that if this card is played the second player 27 has the right to exchange the position between any of the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c of the first player's 26 group 17 of balls with any of the balls 15 a, 15 b, 15 c of the second players' 27 group 18 of balls.

The second player 27 therefore has the right—when playing this first card 19 a showing action 1—to exchange the position of ball 10 a and 15 a shown in FIG. 14 to arrive—if doing do—at a position shown in FIG. 15. After playing this card 19 a—before of throwing his second ball 15 b—the second player 27 now maximally approaches with his ball 15 a to the marker 16. The second player 27 is now in leading position.

After having played this card 19 a by the second player 27 it is now the second player's 27 turn to throw another of its balls 15 b, 15 c of its group 18 of balls.

It can be provided that within one game each of the players 26, 27 has the right to only once play anyone of its playing cards 19. In another embodiment of the invention it can be provided that each of the players 26, 27 has the right to play any of its playing cards for a number of times or until all of its playing cards are played.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention each time a player 26, 27 has the right to throw a ball, before throwing of the ball he has the right to take a further playing card from his deck of playing cards.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention each time a player 26, 27 has the right to throw a ball, before throwing of the ball he has the right to play any of its playing cards of its plurality of playing cards.

In an alternative embodiment it can be provided that once the player has played a playing card he has the right to take from his deck of cards in a randomized manner a supplemental playing card and to supplement his plurality of playing cards.

Further it is also within the scope of the invention that before playing any of its playing cards the respective player has the right to take a further playing card from the deck of playing cards, for example in a randomized manner, and take this supplemental playing card to his plurality of playing cards. All these different embodiments are within the scope of the invention.

According to FIG. 16 now a different action shall be illustrated exemplarily:

FIG. 16 shows a different playing card 19 b and the second playing card 19 b shows a different action 2 compared to action 1.

Just for the sake of clarity it shall be assumed that starting from FIG. 14 this different action 2 shall now apply instead of above-described action 1.

FIG. 16 shows that a different instruction on the backside 20 of the second playing card 19 b can include the indication or instruction that a player 27 who will play its card has the right to move any of the balls 10 a of the other player 26 away from the marker 16 by a pre-determined distance M. FIG. 16 shows in dashed line the position of the ball 10 a corresponding to the position shown in FIG. 14 and in solid lines the position of the ball 10 a after performing this translocation.

A further playing card 19 that is not shown in the drawings, might contain any of the following information or instruction:

-   -   a) Action 3: If this card is played the player has the right to         throw any of its balls from a starting point that is nearer to         the marker than the original starting point.     -   b) Action 4: This playing card contains the instruction that if         this playing card is played the other player—when throwing any         of his balls—is forced to throw his ball blind by obscuring his         view, for example by putting a light blocking element before his         eyes, to provide that he does not see the marker.     -   c) Action 5: When this playing card is played the player who is         playing this playing card can determine another player who is         forced when throwing any of his balls to throw this balls         through his legs.     -   d) Action 6: When this playing card is played, the player of         this playing card can determine that any of the following         players has no right to play but has to give his turn to the         following player.     -   e) Action 7: If this playing card is played the player of this         playing card has the right to move the marker or a ball to a         particular position or to locate the marker or a ball by a given         distance in any direction     -   f) Action 8: If this playing card is played the effect of         another playing card previously played or successively played         can be set out of force.     -   g) Action 9: If this playing card is played the order of the         players throwing their balls can be amended.

For the sake of clarity it shall be noted that the game illustrated in this patent application can be played by two or more players that play against each others or by two or more teams of players that consists each of two or more players. If there are teams involved, the different teams can play against each other. The different teams can contain the same number of players or different numbers of players.

According to a further embodiment of the invention a round of a game ends if all balls are thrown. Another preferred embodiment includes the steps that after all balls are thrown one or more balls are taken by one or more players back from the playing surface and may be re-thrown by the player to try to reach a better placement of the balls.

Further it shall be noted that any of the information that are shown on the backside of any playing card as described above or below may be a part only of numerous information contained on that playing card. Information can also be shown on the card 19 being combined with each other.

Information on a back side of a playing card may include information as to the force of this playing card, the force being a number of a force scale. Further the information on a backside of a playing card may include information as to the maximum number of this kind of playing card allowed in a deck of playing cards, or information about the kind of the playing card. There might be different kinds or types of playing cards within the total reservoir of playing cards. For example there might be a first kind of playing cards that allows actions and a second kind of playing cards that allow reactions. Further there might be a first type of playing cards that allows actions or effects with regard to the players own cards or own balls (me-cards) as is well as a second type of cards that allow actions or effects toward other players cards or balls (you-cards).

Further there might be attack or defense cards.

The information contained on the cards may include a playing card identification number. The identification number may permit an identification of the card, for example via a website of the applicant or of a licensee. This might permit the verification of the card. This verification may include the possibility to check whether or not this is an original card or whether or not there are any replacement cards in regard to this card commercially available.

Further the different playing cards may have and may show different names. This might allow an easy identification of the card type.

Further on the card there might be information or instructions that refer to particular identification tags or symbols or characters on the balls 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 15 a, 15 b, 15 c to make clear that the instruction or the effect of this card is only directed to balls bearing this tag or symbol or character. 

1. A game set comprising a first set of balls, a second set of balls, a marker element, and a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a front face and a back face, wherein the front faces of the plurality of cards are neutral or identical and the back faces of the respective cards are individualized and contain information relating to the game and/or relating to any of the balls or the marker or relating to the throwing of the balls or the marker.
 2. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the balls has a flexible housing filled by granular elements.
 3. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that the marker element has a flexible housing filled by granular elements.
 4. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the balls has a diameter of between 3 cm and 15 cm.
 5. The game set according to claim 4, characterized in that the marker element has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the balls.
 6. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that each ball of the first set has a first identification tag on the outside.
 7. The game set according to claim 6, characterized in that each ball of the second set has a second identification tag on the outside which is different from the first identification tag.
 8. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that different cards contain different information.
 9. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that the information contains an indication as to amend a position of a ball or a position of a marker on a playing surface or the position of a player before throwing of a ball by this player.
 10. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that the information contains an indication as to a particular way how to throw a ball or a marker.
 11. The game set according to claim 1, characterized in that a first playing card contains information that pertains to or relates to information of a second playing card.
 12. A method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players, comprising the following steps: a) providing a first player with a first set of balls, with a marker, and with a first plurality of playing cards that contain information relating to the game and/or relating to the balls or to the marker, b) providing a second player with a second set of balls, and with a second plurality of playing cards that contain information relating to the game and/or relating to the balls or to the marker, c) throwing the marker by the first player along a playing surface, d) throwing a ball of the first set by the first player to maximally approach to the marker, e) throwing a ball of the second set by the second player to maximally approach to the marker, f) repeating steps d) and e) in a given order until all balls are thrown, g) playing at least one playing card by the first or the second player between any of the steps c) to f) and following the instructions or the information contained on the playing card.
 13. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players according to claim 12, characterized in that step g) is performed at a given point of time, i.e. before or after step e), or at a randomized point of time or at a point of time that can be chosen by any of the players.
 14. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players according to claim 12, characterized in that step g) is performed by randomized taking or by consciously selecting a particular playing card from the plurality of playing cards by the respective player.
 15. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game set for at least two players according to claim 12, characterized in that immediately after performing step g) a further step of playing a playing card is performed by any other of the players to amend or to overcome the instructions and/or information of the playing card previously played.
 16. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players according to claim 12, characterized in that after all balls are thrown scores are attributed to all players.
 17. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players according to claim 16, characterized in that balls that maximally approach to the marker are attributed higher scores than balls situated more distant to the marker.
 18. The method of playing a combined ball game and a playing card game for at least two players according to claim 12, further comprising the step of repeating steps a) through g)until a particular score is reached by at least one of the players.
 19. A game set comprising a first set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, a second set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having a front face and a back face, wherein the front faces of the plurality of cards are neutral or identical and the back faces of the respective cards are individualized and contain information relating to the game and/or relating to any of the elements or relating to the way of displacing any of the elements.
 20. A method of playing a combined game for displacing elements and a playing card game for at least two players, comprising the following steps: h) providing a first player with a first set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and with a first plurality of playing cards that contain information relating to the game and/or relating to the elements, i) providing a second player with a second set of elements that can be displaced by the action of a human hand, and with a second plurality of playing cards that contain information relating to the game and/or relating to any of the elements, j) setting a marker by displacing a marker element or by marking a location as the marker, k) displacing an element of the first set by the first player by a throwing action or rolling action or sliding action or flipping action or an action as a combination thereof by the first player to maximally approach to the marker, l) displacing an element of the second set by the second player by a throwing action or rolling action or sliding action or flipping action or an action as a combination thereof by the first player to maximally approach to the marker, m) repeating steps k) and l) in a given order until all elements are displaced, n) playing at least one playing card by the first or the second player between any of the steps h) to m) and following the instructions or the information contained on the playing card. 